Kevin Costner’s Bitter Divorce Escalates As He Accuses Ex Of ‘Planning Her Exit Long Before’ Split

The “Yellowstone” star Kevin Costner is currently in the midst of a bitter divorce battle with his ex-wife Christine Baumgartner, who he was married to for 18 years before they split on May 1. Now, their divorce battle has escalated in a big way, as Costner is accusing Baumgartner of secretly “planning her exit long before” she filed for divorce.

Costner’s Divorce Gets Messy

People Magazine has obtained a court filing in which Costner, 68, and his lawyers allege that Baumgartner, 49, has “been taking cash advances” on “credit cards, issued not to her but to staff members” without his knowledge or consent. They also accuse Baumgartner of making a major car purchase before they split, alleging that this indicates that she had been planning the divorce for quite some time.

“Months before separation, although the parties had always leased their automobiles, without [Costner’s] knowledge or consent, [Christine] bought an expensive vehicle for her personal use (probably because the [prenuptial agreement] allows her to take that vehicle with her),” the filing read.

“Thus, it appears that [Christine] had been planning her exit long before she told [Costner] in April 2023,” it continued.

The filing went on to allege that Baumgartner “has shown a disturbing propensity in the last several months, both before and after separation, to take Respondent’s property without his knowledge or consent, especially since this case was filed.”

Baumgartner has since fired back by saying that Costner’s “request includes a myriad of false statements that are no doubt included to play to the press and ‘smear’ me in the media. I will not address each one.”

It was Baumgartner who filed for divorce on May 1, listing the former couple’s date of separation as being April 11. Costner responded through his representative, who released a statement saying that “circumstances beyond his control have transpired” that led to this divorce. A source close to Costner said that the divorce “was not anything that [Costner] wanted or sought, and if he could change the situation, he would.”

Related: Kevin Costner Scores Huge Win From Judge As Bitter Divorce Continues

Baumgartner Ordered To Move Out Of Family Estate

Costner and Baumgartner are the parents of three teenage children: Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13, by July 31. Baumgartner was recently ordered to move out of the family’s Santa Barbara estate, which is worth an estimated $145 million, by the end of this month. Costner’s lawyers have asked a judge to “prevent [Christine] from removing [Kevin’s] separate property from his home, and to insure an orderly process for the removal of her separate property (if any).”

Costner’s legal team also alleged that under the terms of the prenuptial agreement that he and Baumgartner signed before their 2004, marriage,  there is “no community property.”

Baumgartner replied by saying, “With the exception of my clothing, jewelry, toiletries and handbags, Kevin wants to have the final say as to whether I can remove my personal items from the house or my storage unit.”

“For example, under Kevin’s proposed order, I could not remove my mother’s childhood dresser without first meeting and conferring, and then obtaining his approval,” she continued. “Nothing in Kevin’s proposed order precludes Kevin from simply withholding his consent or acting arbitrarily.”

Unfortunately for Baumgartner, however, a judge ruled in Costner’s favor on this.

“Christine shall be permitted to remove her toiletries, clothing, handbags and jewelry,” the judge ruled, adding that Baumgartner is prohibited from removing “any other items of property including, but not limited to, furniture, furnishings, appliances, and artwork.”

Costner has also been ordered to pay $129,755 per month in child support, though Baumgartner had initially been asking for $248,000 per month in child support.

Full Story: You Won’t Believe How Much Kevin Costner’s Wife Wants In Child Support Per Month

‘Yellowstone’ Ending

Days after Baumgartner filed for divorce, Daily Mail reported that the end of “Yellowstone” was announced by Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, who also announced that a sequel series starring Matthew McConaughey will be replacing it.

“‘Yellowstone’ has been the cornerstone on which we have launched an entire universe of global hits — from ‘1883’ to ‘Tulsa King,’ and I am confident our sequel will be another big hit, thanks to the brilliant creative mind of Taylor Sheridan [the show’s creator] and our incredible casts who bring these shows to life,” McCarthy said.

This has clearly become a very messy divorce for everyone involved. For the sake of the three children, we can only hope that Costner and Baumgartner are able to come to some kind of amicable agreement so that they can co-parent effectively in the future.

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